Keep you Like an Oath
by authenticaussie
Summary: (and may nothing but death do us part) [drabble series, set as complete]
1. Ace & Luffy - angst

**Drabble collection! Mainly because...I have so many drabbles on tumblr that I get from requests...but I'm to lazy to upload them here...**

 **Rating & warnings will probably change per chapter (but likely won't go higher than T).**

 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Ace & Luffy

* * *

"Why are you _doing_ this?" Ace growled, fingers scrabbling against Luffy's shirt, tightening around his biceps and yanking him back. "You'll _kill_ yourself!"

Luffy's flat gaze burned, and though he had to tilt his head up to look Ace in the eye, Ace still felt as though he were shrinking, his insides pulled tight. "I need to be able to protect them," Luffy said, jaw set and eyes hard, and Ace had no time to wonder when his little brother had grown into such a harsh young man. When had Luffy turned from rubber, easily pliant, to steel? When had he straightened his spine, laced it with metal, and shouldered the weight of the world and his crews' dreams?

He could feel the thud of Luffy's blood pressing against his thumb and forced his hands to relax in case his fire raged out of control and burnt Luffy. "You don't have to do it this way," Ace said, knowing his lip curled with the bitter words. "You don't have to win a fight but lose part of your life along the way, you _stupid-!_ "

Luffy ripped his arm from Ace's grasp, back straight and taut and face devoid of the grin Ace had gotten so used to seeing from him. Instead, his lips were barred in a snarl that Ace knew he'd gotten from his crew, and he spat, "I won't lose anyone. I'm gonna fight for them, Ace, I'm not _dying_ for them."

"Yeah you are!" Ace roared, and his fire howled with him, back erupting into flickering flames that licked at the sky. "You say that like you think I don't know your second gear hurts! That I don't know you're killing yourself every time you use it!"

"At least I'll keep them safe!" Luffy shouted back, his throat ripping the words and making them screech in Ace's ears, "I'm not losing _anyone_! Never ever _again!_ "

Ace's jaw trembled as he locked it, a brutal growl in the back of his throat that he held back through sheer will alone, and he breathed a tiny tongue of fire through his teeth, trying to calm. "Luffy-"

"I'm not going to stop." Luffy interrupted, and Ace swallowed back the bubble in his throat that screamed _yeah you will!_

"Then promise me you'll only use it as a last resort," he said instead. "Only use it if your crew is in danger."

Luffy gave him a glass shard grin, sharp toothed and somehow close to normal, but Ace felt his heart clench at the loss of his little brother's innocence, his stomach tie itself into slow knots.

Luffy never promised anything he couldn't keep, and he was silent so long that Ace knew he wouldn't make the vow now. Luffy had a selfish, bleeding heart. He was gullible and friendly and fell in love with people as fast as people fell in love with his smile.

Luffy would fight for anyone he thought deserved it, and he was always believed in innocent until proven guilty, (until proven scarred and scared, and then he grinned and held out his hand. Ace hadn't realised that Luffy had perfected that tactic on him until he realised that Luffy had collected a crew of walking mishaps and self-called monsters and he could see parts of his scars mirrored in their bruises.)

Luffy would never give a promise he wouldn't die keeping, but this one would kill him either way, so he was silent and Ace forced himself to let it go and let Luffy keep his silence.

* * *

 **AN: Technically an au bc there's no feasible way for Ace to know about second gear? But I wanted to write about the situation anyway. vuv**

 **Feel free to send requests at my tumblr (which is the same account name as this vuv** **) btw, and as a last note - please R & R!**


	2. Koala & Sabo

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Koala  & Sabo  
 **TW:** PTSD  
 **Notes:** This kiddo is 22 years old and he's the second in command of the revolutionary army. He's seen some bad stuff.

* * *

Sabo woke with a strangled scream, clawing at the blankets tangled around his legs and heaving in desperate breaths. Visions of the battlefield still hung in his eyes, screams filling his ears, and he doubled over, clasping his hands over his ears and unable to stop sobbing. His heart pounded, sweat hot on his skin, and when someone touched his back he lashed out, fear and memories still ruling his body.

His wrist was caught, and his eyes snapped open, sobs hitching in hysteria until his terrified brain finally reconciled the face in front of him with safety. He lunged forwards, burying himself in Koala's open arms. "It's okay," she whispered, the sound echoing through her chest, but Sabo still couldn't stop crying, clenching onto the back of her shirt desperately, as though she could hold back the monsters as long as he couldn't see them. "Oh Sabo, it's okay, you're safe now. I promise."

"They're always there-" he said, shivering as cold air cooled the sweat on his body, "God, Koala, they're always-"

He couldn't finish speaking, breath hitching into another soundless cry, and she pulled him even closer, gently rocking back and forth.

She stayed with him till the morning came, and the memories went away for another day.


	3. LawSabo

**rating:** G **  
characters:** Law/Sabo  
 **TW:** None

* * *

"Please stop petting the test subjects," Law muttered, giving Sabo a dark glare, but Sabo only blinked innocently back at him, hefting the tiny furred creature into his arms.

"But look Law, it's so _smalllll._ " Sabo cooed, pouting and holding the fuzzy thing near his face, "Isn't it adorable?"

Law scoffed, turning his attention back to his clipboard and scrawling down more notes on the behaviour of the creatures in the pen before him. "I hope it kills you."

"So cruel," he heard Sabo say, but saw Sabo place the creature down and stand next to him, hands shoved into the pockets of his lab coat. "Don't worry Lawsie, you're cuter than the little baby." Sabo placed a kiss against his cheek, and Law jumped, feeling his heart skyrocket before he swatted Sabo with his clipboard.

"Well you're most certainly not!" he shot angrily, and Sabo only chuckled, winking at him as he made his way further down the pen.

"That's because I'm _hot._ "


	4. Sabo & Ace

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Ace + Sabo  
 **TW:** Abuse/Mentions of Abuse

* * *

The purple bruise blossoming on Sabo's swollen eye when he came home made Ace immediately jump to his feet, mouth parted in horror.

"I fell." Sabo said quickly when he saw Ace's worried look, "Honest."

"Fell onto someone's _fist,_ " Ace said as he crossed the living room so he could tenderly inspected Sabo's face. "Christ Sabo, who the hell did this to you?"

He could see Sabo chew on the words, his jaw clicking, but Sabo's blue eyes merely slid away from his own and he merely answered, "I just fell."

"It was your dad, wasn't it?" Sabo jumped, head snapping to Ace in surprise, and Ace nodded, sealing his lips. He _knew_ it. He _knew_ that bastard wouldn't keep his hands off Sabo when angry, even if Sabo had done little to provoke him. "You don't have to-" Sabo pushed his hand off, shoving past him to the kitchen, and Ace grit his teeth, following. "Sabo, listen to me!"

"I _am._ And it's the same thing you always say - that I should leave! Well unlike you, I wouldn't get government grant, and my parents would have me dragged back before the day was over. So sorry for not wanting to have to put up with another _lecture!"_

Sabo's chest heaved, eyes angry, but realisation hit him a few seconds later and Ace watched as the rage fled him, replaced with regret. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I'm just- I'm so tired of having to-"

"It's alright," Ace said, gathering Sabo up in his arms and feeling him stiffen before he relaxed with a sigh, forehead dropping to Ace's shoulder.

"I want to get out of there as much as you want me too," he whispered, hands latched onto Ace's shirt. "I just can't."


	5. Zoro & Luffy

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Luffy  & Zoro  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** "Surely this is not proper work for someone of your status."

* * *

"I'm the pirate king, not a baby," Luffy said, and Zoro had to a stifle a grin at the sight of the frozen faux polite smile that their noble visitor was wearing. Obviously the prissy man hadn't expected Luffy to be washing the dishes when he demanded an audience with Luffy, a task that Luffy now attacked with great relish and the tiniest bit of Sanji's drummed in finesse.

Their guest did seem to expect that Zoro would be hanging around like a shadow, though, and tried to ignore him, "Strawhat Luffy, the world government demands that you-"

"Zooorroo," Luffy whined, and he cast Zoro a pout that made Zoro grin.

"With pleasure, captain," he said, and cast his sharp-toothed smile on their now terrified and shaking guest.


	6. Ace

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Ace  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** A take on Ace after Sabo's 'death'.

* * *

He has never been as good at laughter as Luffy was, never been as adept at smiling like Sabo, but with Sabo-

with Sabo swallowed by the sea, he has to force himself to keep his lips stretched wide, drawing on the muscle memory of hours spent in the sunshine with both his brothers.

He breathes and laughs and reminds himself that Luffy is afraid of being lonely, so he can't just leave; can't sail away from every painful memory attached to every tally point of wins and losses, every piece of wood that went into making their tree house. He reminds himself that the sea is vast and the sky is wide and that his feelings are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but-

But it does little to help the fact that his chest aches whenever he sees a gap-toothed grin, whenever they run across something Sabo had marked as his.

It's like playing with a timebomb, seeing how long it takes for the ache hurting his heart to fade verses how long it will take for him to break; but feelings aren't easy to make into equations and hurt divided by the number of days in the year doesn't equal anything but constancy.


	7. Ace (con't)

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Ace  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** Semi-connected to the last post

* * *

He never lets Luffy see the letter.

(It's half possessiveness, half pain, half what he knows is the misguided attempt to protect Luffy from the knowledge Sabo had been grasping for - had been so close to - freedom and happiness.

But it is all for the vain attempt to get his chest to stop feeling so hollow.)


	8. Ace & Sabo

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Sabo + Ace (koala, referenced.)  
 **TW:** descriptions of violence (implied)  
 **Notes:** "I trusted you. You were the only one I trusted, and for what? So you can stab my back?"

* * *

Sabo's teeth caught the inside of his cheek, peeling away a strip of flesh as he tried to ignore the betrayal and hurt he could see in Ace's eyes. "That was your fault. Besides, I stabbed you in the side. I would never stab you in the back."

And I didn't want to do it, he thought, hoping beyond hope that Ace would be able to read his mind like he usually seemed able too, but Ace's glare only intensified. I had to!

Ace's anger was palpable, lip curled in a growl even as he clutched at his bleeding side. "Like that makes it any better?" he demanded, and Sabo let his wrist flop. The dagger in his hand felt to heavy to hold, point dropping to the pavement, blood dripping down the side.

"You shouldn't be inaccurate. The way something is worded has always been very important."

He couldn't say exactly what he meant, knowing that any slip of the tongue would easily be caught by the microphone he wore, but he could try. He could try and make Ace understand that the only reason he'd apparently betrayed him was because if didn't do what he'd been told, Koala would be slaughtered.

Please, understand my hint.

When Ace only scoffed, straightening with a hiss of pain, Sabo knew that for all his hopes Ace didn't understand what he was trying to say.


	9. ShanksMihawk

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Shanks/Mihawk  
 **TW:** Innuendos  
 **Notes:** "If you keep looking at me like that we won't make it to a bed."

* * *

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you make it to the execution stand first."

"Hawky," Shanks complained, pouting, "you're so mean!"

Mihawk raised his eyebrow, giving Shanks a pointed stare, and turned his attention back to the newspaper. Shanks would preoccupy himself, as long as Mihawk ignored him-

Shanks decided the best thing he could do with his time was slid onto the table in front of Mihawk, knees creating twin indents in Mihawk's paper.

"Must you?" Mihawk inquired coldly, and Shanks leaned forwards, grin sharp as he bent Mihawk's paper.

"Well you can always help me occupy my time in some other fashion," he said, and Mihawk felt the hint of a smile on the corner of his lips before he firmly told his mouth to stop misbehaving.

"But them I'd have to put down this article. And it's very interesting."

"I promise you," Shanks said, and this time his look promised that they likely wouldn't make it to a bed, "I'm ten times more interesting." Shanks grinned, and then added, "And if not, well, you can make good on that execution stand. Should add a little danger, huh?"


	10. MarcoAce

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** Kissing  
 **Notes:** Request for lip kiss. (More notes/plot explanation at the bottom)

Also, hella sorry for the sudden chapter-spam! I'd been uploading these on ao3 but forgetting to do it here /sweats. Sorry!

* * *

Ace ducked beneath Marco's punch, his lithe body darting forwards, and Marco barely managed to get out of the way, dancing backwards on light feet and kicking out. Ace merely grinned at him, moving past Marco's guard with ease and latching onto Marco's forearms so they were grappling.

Ace would do anything to win, even switch the rules so they were wrestling instead of practicing hand-to-hand. Then again, the only purpose of their fight was to win.

As Ace's upper body strength managed to surpass Marco's, he soon found himself twisted around, and barely managed to hook his leg around the back of Ace's knee, pulling Ace down on top of him. Marco hit the ground with a grunt of pain but quickly rolled over, the plastic mats squishing beneath his shoulder. Ace, however, refused to let himself be pinned and they writhed on the ground for a minute, neither gaining the other hand.

Finally, Marco managed to pin Ace's legs down, leaning on Ace's left arm with his elbow and twisting the other over and down Ace's body. Ace struggled, panting, but couldn't manage to wriggle free again, shoulder pinned awkwardly in a way that wouldn't let him roll over.

"Give up, yoi?" Marco asked, unable to help the smirk that flickered across his lips.

Ace's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, and he glared at Marco for his tease. "I still- have some tricks up my sleeve," he panted, his own devilish grin pulling up the corner of his lips.

Marco's eyes flicked to Ace's smile for a second, heat rushing through blood, but he firmly told his stupid heart to stop pounding like a drum; Ace's words had been a taunt, not a flirt.

Ace bucked beneath him, surprising Marco with the sudden movement, and Ace managed to swing his right arm free, unbalancing Marco's legs and sending him arching lower. Ace latched his elbow behind Marco's neck, pulling himself up and Marco closer, and then kissed him.

Marco's heart stopped.

Ace's lips pressed forcefully against his own, short stealings of Marco's breath, and Marco's heart leapt from stillness to frantic, elated thumping. He kissed back eagerly, eyes fluttering closed as he slipped his left hand up to Ace's hair, tangling his fingers in the short strands and making Ace grin against his mouth, biting at his bottom lip.

Then, the world twisted.

Marco found himself pressed to the mat, Ace's elbows locking his arms down, and stared at Ace in undisguised surprise. "Gotcha." Ace whispered, eyes dancing, tongue tracing his teeth, and Marco felt the surprise melt off his face, replaced by a heart breaking realisation.

Ace would do anything to win.

* * *

 **AN:** thiiiis is from another gangster/fight au but pretty much the basis is that Ace falls in love w/ Marco bc of Marco's fighting style? But then Sabo likes him a lot too so they're like let's have a bet and see which one can win him over ( s) and Ace's idea is SURPRISE KISSES! ONLY MARCO THOUGHT IT WAS A DISTRACTION DUE TO THE FIGHT AND NEITHER OF THEM TALKED ABOUT IT BC THEY'RE IDIOTS

SO THEN EVERYONE PINES.


	11. MarcoSabo

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Sabo  
 **TW:** shameless shameless fluff lol  
 **Notes:** "marcosabo, kiss on the nose?"

* * *

Sabo sniffled, swiping snot from his flushed red nose before shoving his cold hands back into his pockets. His breath danced in the air in front of him, and he hunched his shoulders, walking faster in an attempt to get home before the predicted snowfall of the evening.

Hopping up the stairs to the old fashioned, black bricked housing block, Sabo fumbled for a moment with his keys before managing to get the door open, slipping inside with a sigh of pleasure. He carefully shed his jacket, hanging it up, and Ace poked his head round the corner.

"Sabo's home!" Ace called over his shoulder, grinning at Sabo but then continuing through the hall, hefting a large box. Marco soon followed him, but his hands were empty and he joined Sabo by the door, kissing his red nose.

"Welcome home, Rudolph," Marco teased and Sabo stuck his tongue out. The action only made Marco laugh harder, and he bent, placing a kiss against Sabo's chapped lips. "Forgive me, yoi?" he asked innocently, and Sabo rolled his eyes, moving forwards so his lips grazed Marco's.

"Dunno," he said, smirking and tilting his head slightly, "I think you'll have to make it up to me."

* * *

 **AN: juuust going to mention, because I keep forgetting haha, that I also have commissions open now you guys! I'm still doing requests and all, so feel free to shoot me those any time you'd like, but if you want a personalised fic then feel free to shoot me an email~~ (authenticaussie )**


	12. MarcoAce(Sabo)

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace (/Sabo)  
 **TW:** Innuendos  
 **Notes:** upside down kiss is my _literal_ favourite

* * *

Marco and Ace had spent several years cultivating their reputations as the Red Line's top supervillains, paving the way for them to take further territory for pops down in the Blue district area. They'd easily surpassed the city's previous hero, but with Ace and Marco in charge of 90% of the crime, most of it actually dropped.

Though not supervillains in the traditional sense, their blatant disregard of the rules (and their frequent robberies) led to them being two of the most wanted villains in the Red Line/Blue district area.

The Phoenix and Firefist, known for their wit, intelligence, and the subtle grace with which they pulled off crimes.

Marco couldn't help but think that if anyone could see them now, their reputation would be in tatters.

He glanced disapprovingly at Ace, wishing he could fold his arms. Ace grinned at Marco sheepishly, swinging back and forth slowly.

"What did you do?" Marco asked in a long-suffering tone, "How on earth did you even-?"

Ace pursed his lips, glancing away in embarrassment. "The trap may have exploded," he mumbled quietly, and then added, "Which means this is totally not my fault!"

"You built that trap," Marco pointed out, wriggling against the ropes that had tied him to the ceiling as well. "with the express purpose of catching Blue. Why on earth didn't you make sure it wouldn't explode on you?"

"It's a basic trap!" Ace defended, "How am I meant to do that?"

"I don't think a basic trap is going to work. Are you forgetting he can phase through things?"

"One of these days he's going to forget," Ace grumbled, before giving a low, sick-sounding groan. "Can you just shift and get us down?"

Marco arched an eyebrow incredulously. "Why do I have to shift? Ace, you're made of fire! Just burn them off!"

"But then I can't reuse it," Ace whined, but at Marco's glare relented and turned to flames, flipping to the ground as the ropes burnt. He staggered for a moment, blood rushing to his head, but with a quick shake pulled himself back to human form.

Marco waited patiently for Ace to regain his balance, but when Ace's attention drifted to the bank of computers along the wall he gave a pointed cough. "Forgetting something? I kind of want to get down too, yoi."

Ace hummed, grinning as he moved closer. "I dunno, I kind of like seeing you tied up."

Unimpressed, Marco glared at him again, but Ace only laughed, stealing a quick kiss. "That's not going to make me any happier," Marco grumbled, but Ace stole another kiss, this time not pulling back, latching his hands into the rope by Marco's side to prevent him from swinging away.

"Not even now?" Ace whispered, voice lilting in Marco's ears, and Marco had to stop himself from shivering. He hummed softly instead of answering, stealing his own kiss and making Ace grin. Heat flared against his side, and Marco felt the ropes holding him up snap. His body drifted down to the ground gracefully, and Ace's hands tightened around his back, pulling him close as he landed.

"I suppose now is a bit better," he murmured against Ace's lips, and felt Ace grin. "Though I can think of something else-"

"Oh for God's sake!" Marco heard Blue curse from behind them, and he couldn't help but jump, startled. "What is this, the fifth time?"

"Sixth!" Ace called, a laugh in his voice, and stole another kiss before rocking to his tip toes and peering over Marco's shoulder at Blue. His lips pulled into a grin, and Marco could easily imagine his eyes dancing behind his mask. Marco turned, allowing Ace to slip to his side, and rested his weight on his back leg, glad that they hadn't been in the process of shedding their masks like they had the last time Blue had shown up.

"Should I just come back?" Blue demanded, hands splayed to his side, "Or would you rather I wait to the side until you finish?"

"Well you can always come join us." Ace said, smirking, and Marco tried not to laugh as Blue's face screwed up, cheeks turning red.

"Yeah, no. I'd rather not."

"Pity," Marco drawled, fighting to suppress a grin but unable to help himself from adding his own comment, "That would have been fun. Fraternization with the enemy and all, yoi."

"Oh, I'd hope we go further than fraternization." Ace said, and Blue buried his face in his hands.

"Please stop," he begged, completely flustered, "Just let me arrest you!"


	13. Ace - angst

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Ace  
 **TW:** Depersonalisation (ish?)  
 **Notes:** Part of my fic _House of Cards_

* * *

Ace can compartmentalise as easy as anything, like the parts of his brain are storage boxes that he can pack away and pile in the dark recess of his head.

Only, the problem with hiding them away in the dark is that they morph in his mind, tear away the cardboard and hiss their deadly venom into his dreams. The problem with hiding them in the dark is that they grow and as they grow Ace has to add another box of memories to be locked away, building a beast in the back of his brain.

He packs away the ugly thoughts, the deadened dreams, the dirty blood in his veins and on his hands, stashes away the pang in his heart, the sick feeling in his stomach, the weight of guilt and self-hatred, and in the back of his head is built a beast that will rip him apart.

Ace's home is in the darkness, and in the darkness his monster will stay, filmy white eyes making it lash out against any that would earn Ace's wrath. It slinks through his mind, whispering warped words into his ears, filling his head with twisted daydreams that it slowly tears down, giving him hope and then picking it apart.

At night, the monsters rule his head, controlled by their bitter, angry king, and Ace has close to no defence. It is no war, no hard-fought battle; it is resistance, but resigned. How could he fight the thoughts from his own mind?

While the moon hangs clouded in the sky and Ace has to bite back his breath for fear of discovery, the monsters curl like cats, purring pure satisfaction in time to his racing heart.

The noise of their growls is enough to wake him from sleep, when he manages to get some. It is loud enough to echo in his hollow chest and in his ears, and no matter how good he is at compartmentalising, the beasts slip free, slinking from their locked cages and running rampant, scratching and leaving their mark in the dark.

And when morning comes, Ace has to rebuild the locks and pack his monsters back into their boxes.


	14. Chapter 14: Ace, Sabo, & Luffy

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Ace  & Luffy & Sabo  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** " Go Out With A Smile " trope

* * *

There were-

There were a lot of differences between Ace and Sabo, to Luffy. Ace was loud and brash and didn't run away and sometimes wasn't very clever, but he cared a lot and Luffy was always _always_ safe with him.

Sabo was smart and protective and knew when to run away and would sacrifice anything and everything to keep Luffy safe and it made him feel so _loved_ but at the same time he wished Sabo wouldn't because Sabo's sacrifices were so so big.

There were a lot of similarities too.

They both grinned like scarecrows, wide and wild, they both laughed like nothing could hurt them, let their memories fly with the wind and-

and they both moved in front of him, when he needed protecting. They both put their lives on the line to save him and-

They both went out with a smile.


	15. Chapter 15: Sanji & Usopp

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Sanji/Usopp  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** They're such dorks wtf

* * *

"The paint's supposed to go where?"

"Back closet!" Usopp called, then let out a loud yelp as something crashed to the ground. Sanji winced, but as he was currently carrying four different tins of blue (that apparently Usopp had completely and utterly needed, despite not having even used them,) he left Usopp to struggle.

It hadn't sounded to bad, anyway, and Usopp was already letting out a low groan of depressed defeat.

He'd be fine.

Sanji staggered into the dim back closet, carefully peering around his paint tins and giving an irritated curse when he noticed the paints were all gathered higgly-piggely, bronze mixed with green and black mixed with some weird blueish grey.

"Where in the back closet?" he grumbled to himself, glaring at the disorganisation. Honestly, you'd think that the art teacher would have somesort of order, considering how many people would have to use these paints, but apparently not. What Sanji wouldn't give for three hours in here, armed with place cards and a permanent marker.

"You just gotta put them anywhere, Sanji," Usopp said with a quiet laugh, slotting his paintbrushes into anywhere they'd fit and dropping his now-clean palettes in the same fashion.

Sanji gave another grumpy grumble, muttering under his breath about the room, but finally relinquished his grip, managing to fit them all into as close an area as he could manage without ending up with paint all over him. Mission successful, he internally congratulated himself on a job well done, having managed to completely keep himself clean this time.

When he turned around and saw Usopp biting back a grin, however, he realised that it may have been to soon to declare himself safe. "Don't you dare-," he ordered, backing away, and Usopp smiled innocently at him.

"What, Sanji?" he said, slowly pulling out a set of paint brushes absolutelydripping with the blue paint Sanji had just put away. "I thought you liked my art projects."

"Not when they're on me!" Sanji said, narrowly avoiding a paint tin. Usopp lunged forwards, blue paint landing on Sanji's nose. He gave a disgruntled whine, but that only made Usopp grin even wider, splashing another blue onto Sanji's hand. "Oh that's it," he growled, roughly grabbing his own weaponry and swiping it through the blue on his hand so that he could return the favour.

Usopp gave a high-pitched squeal, the sound dissolving into a laugh, and then scurried from the closet, Sanji close on his heels. "At least you figured out where the paint belongs!"

"It's going to be on _you_ in half a second!"

* * *

 **AN: Please R &R! **

**Now that the dates also match up with the chapters (for me, at least,) I'm going to be uploading a chapter a day until they're all posted!**


	16. Chapter 16: NamiVivi

Rating: G  
Characters: Nami/Vivi  
TW: Innuendos  
Notes: "crashed the wrong party by accident'" 3 sentence fic

* * *

"I don't think this is where we were meant to end up," Vivi said, giving a worried glance to Nami, who looked about as shocked as she did.

The children in front of them blinked their large eyes innocently at the girls, and one of them chirped up, "Are you the magicians?"

"I can make her turn red like a strawberry," Nami offered, and the children glanced around to each other, giving small nods of approval, even while Vivi's mouth dropped open and an embaressed flush coated her cheeks.

* * *

 **AN: AND NAMI PROCEDED TO TICKLE VIVI AND WHEN THEY GOT HOME RIBBED HER ABOUT HER DIRTY MIND**

 **BECAUSE HOW COULD SHE PPPOSSSSIIBLLLY THINK NAMI WOULD KISS HER IN FRONT OF ALL THOSE KIDS? \**  
 **THAT IS SAVED FOR WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE AROUND SO NAMI CAN GET THEIR LOOKS OF HORROR**


	17. Chapter 17: FrankyRobin

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Franky/Robin  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** SUPERSPOOKYONEPIECE said: "Okay but fairy tale tangled with Frobin!"

* * *

Franky, as one may be able to tell, had a certain lack of finesse when it came to finding strange people in his room. In fact, he had a certain lack of finesse when it came to a lot of things, but that was a mere digression at this point.

The point being there was someone in his room and they really shouldn't have been.

Considering his room was a tower in the middle of the ocean, and the only person who ever came to visit was the mermaid Kokoro, who stayed stuck in the ocean, or the stupid dick who tried to make him give up the position of his kingdom's greatest treasure, Spandam, it seemed highly unlikely that they'd just dropped by, so he'd done the most logical thing he could think of at the time.

Granted, it may have been an overreaction, as they both were currently hidden behind furniture but in his defence, the cake had been the closest thing at hand!

And the completely shocked look on the woman's previously composed face had definitely made it worth it.

(Though the smile she now sported was better than both.)


	18. Chapter 18: Sabo & Ace

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Sabo  & Ace  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** Part of a Magic AU where things such as Music, Art, and Performing all have specific abilities.

* * *

The dirty grey from Ace's quiet song twisted between his hands, changing from shades of black to a lighter blue as he tried to find the right combination of notes to make it glow – he was much better playing Music with his guitar than he was singing it, but as the song he was trying to cast was a present for Luffy, and Luffy was currently amusing himself by trying to learn guitar, he'd had to leave the instrument behind and escape outside to finish the song.

His concentration so utterly fastened on the song in his hands, he didn't notice when Sabo came up behind him and remarked curiously, "I didn't know you could sing."

"Shit!" Ace yelped, the song flaring a piercing yellow and exploding in his hands, and the both of them were flung backwards, into the dirt. "Sabo-" Ace complained angrily, staring at the gross black lump that now occupied where his song had been before. "I was finally getting somewhere with that!"

Sabo winced, looking extremely apologetic, and he offered Ace a sheepish grin that only made Ace give him a glare. "Sorry," he said, "You did sound nice though."

Ace snorted, staring at his hands before heaving a sigh and leaning on Sabo's shoulder. "You're such a liar. Luffy's the Singer. Besides, none of the notes were coming out okay, and I don't know how I'm going to finish it when Luffy won't give me back my guitar."

"Why can't you just take it off him?" Sabo asked, and Ace gave him a look like 'are you stupid'?

"Because then he'll know I'm making a song for his birthday!"

Sabo pursed his lips and didn't mention that Ace had been making beautiful songs for Luffy's birthday since they'd first met. "Well…" he said, drawing out the word as he tried to think, "want my help with it? I know I'm not Music, but maybe it would be easier if you had Words to help you instead of just humming the notes you want for your guitar?"

"But-" Ace said, staring at him with a shocked expression and wide eyes, and Sabo shifted uncomfortably, biting the inside of his lip, "you'll get in huge trouble!"

"How come you're the only one who gets to make a present for our brother?" Sabo demanded, to quell the butterflies that erupted in his stomach at the fear in Ace's eyes. He knew that he wasn't supposed to give any Words away but- if it was for Luffy, then he would gladly make the sacrifice, and take the punishment when he got home for having 'wasted' any. "Please?" he asked Ace quietly, and Ace paused in indecision, knowing how much trouble he was likely to get into, before giving him a hesitant smile and a jerky nod.

"Alright…But you can't write them down. Then your parents won't know you used any, right?"

Sabo almost considered laughing at the ingenuity of Ace's plan, instead letting his grin grow on his face and giving a nod, "That'd probably work. Now tell me what you want the syllables and stanzas like so I can figure something out for you to sing."


	19. Chapter 19: SaboAce

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Sabo/Ace  
 **TW:** Kissing / Character death  
 **Notes:** Blame Lolles. Literally this is _all her fault._

* * *

There are forty-seven that span from his neck to his mid-bicep, most centered around his shoulders, and then there's more than seventy-three from there to his knuckles. Sabo says 'more than' because he's never managed to get past seventy before Ace will slowly blink awake with a yawn at the soft brush of Sab's fingers counting his freckles.

He always smiles as he wakes, like Sabo is the best thing he will ever wake up to, and Sabo lets his fingertips trace out the constellations on Ace's skin.  
"Again?" Ace asks, and his smile holds the hint of indulgence, freckles on his cheeks moving with his grin.

"One day I'll count all of them," Sabo swears, half as a joke but half serious too, and Ace closes his eyes and grins wider to show his amusement, still tired. Almost as though to place a block in the way of Sabo's goal, he twines their hands together, interlacing their fingers and smirking mischievously. "Cheat," Sabo remarks, feeling Ace's thumb rub over his knuckles. "I am going to count them all, you'know."

(In four year's time he does; bar the ones that he can't see through the veil of his tears, and the ones hidden under the hibiscuses that are placed reverently on Ace's hands and around his forever still body.)

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the messy updates btw! I got snowed under at work and then just? Forgot? /sweats.**

 **Take this triple update as my penance vuv (but please please please review! or I'm afraid I shall just go back to my simple once-a-day posting, even if I DO end up behind.)**


	20. Chapter 20: FrankyRobin

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Franky/Robin  
 **TW:** Implications of abuse  
 **Notes:** A headcanon, not an actual fic. vuv It got like 200 notes on tumblr though so I thought I'd upload it here~

* * *

Robin the early riser who almost never sleeps, only one night Franky manages to convince her to go to bed and they don't even do anything it's just cuddles and she feels so safe, and just passes out to sleep.

And when she wakes up in the morning she's surprised at how late it's gotten, and Franky is tinkering with something next to her, but gives her this hugesmile when she wakes up and Robin just feels herself giving him a little smile back, and he practically bounds out of bed and they go to breakfast.

And this keeps happening; on nights she can't sleep she eventually just goes looking for him, because sometimes he'll still be up working on something, and being cola powered means if he gets tired he can just switch out the bottles if he wants to finish whatever his new project is.

and then one morning she wakes up to something being pressed into her skin and she freaks out and is ready to fight and her eyes snap open and all she sees is Franky carefully writing something on her stomach, and she just goes "Franky?" and he jumps and looks really sheepish and he's like "ah h you weren't meant to wake up yet," and she looks down to see that he'd gotten half-way through writing the second 'super'

'I love you! You're super super!'

and it's in sparkly blue pen in these huge block letters and Robin starts to smile, and then grin, and then she starts to laugh and Franky stares at her in shock before grinning and laughing himself, so so glad he'd made her happy.


	21. Chapter 21: MarcoAce

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** Kissing/Implications of NSFW  
 **Notes:** _part 1 of 2_ (the second of which I shall upload tomorrow~ :P)

* * *

 **Lygerastia** \- The condition of one who is only amorous when the lights are out.

* * *

Midnight. Ten minutes past, if Marco was going to be exact, which he often had to be. Ten minutes past, when the guards switched over their watch and spent a few minutes idly chatting to each other. He flicked off the lights, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, and then made his way to the window, unlatching it.

For a long few minutes he was afraid that Ace hadn't been able to make it. He had to swallow his disappointment, hands tightening in the gossamer curtains.

Then, clicks came from outside; the sharp snap of heels on tile, and he stepped back, his heart thrumming in his chest.

A figure cloaked in shadows slipped through the window, letting out a loose sigh of relief and offering a grin of white teeth, and Marco couldn't help but smile back.

"Thought you weren't going to make it," he whispered, stepping in close and knocking down Ace's hood to tangle his hands into Ace's hair. The world was quiet, night draping a blanket of silence around them, and his voice followed nature's pattern, keeping low. His words hovered on teasing, but even he could detect the obvious hint of worry.

"And miss out on you?" Ace replied quietly, leaning in close, nose brushing Marco's, "Never."

Marco closed his eyes with a quiet sigh, soaking in the warmth of proximity as he gently combed his hands through Ace's hair, and felt Ace's nose move when he smiled.

"I missed you."

"Bit hard getting in," Ace said unapologetically, "considering you're the prince and all."

"I could make them," Marco offered, and felt Ace's body move with his snort of laughter.

"Yeah, that'd go over well." He said, voice dry and snappy. "Oh hey dad, just wondering, could you let an assassin into the castle please? We're just gonna go cuddle in my room."

Marco hummed, his hands sliding down to the back of Ace's neck, fingertips light enough to make Ace shiver. "I'd hope to do more than cuddle, yoi."

Ace's grin returned and he tilted his head, warm breath on Marco's lips. "Gimmie a hint?" he asked mischievously, his own hands wandering up Marco's arms, and tracing down his throat.

"Well," Marco drawled slowly, before grabbing onto Ace's hand and spinning him out in a twirl. Ace gave a surprised laugh, the sound filling Marco's room, and Marco grinned; even with fear twisting in his chest. They had to be careful, had to be quiet, but god did he adore the sound of Ace's laughter. He pulled Ace back to him, hands falling to Ace's waist. "We'd definitely be close."

"Another hint?" Ace asked teasingly, tracing his teeth with his tongue and pretending to look thoughtful.

His fingers skimmed Ace's side, his fingers tugging on Ace's shirt before settling on Ace's warm skin, "This might be gone."

"Might be?" Ace said with a snort, "I'd hope so."

"Well, it's true that you definitely wouldn't want to swim with a shirt." Marco said innocently. "You'd have nothing to change into."

"That is so not what you meant," Ace said, hitting him gently in the chest, and Marco laughed. Dipping his head, he stole a quick kiss, one that Ace eagerly tried to return, hooking his arms around Marco's neck.

However, his kiss dissolved into a hiss, and Marco felt concern surge in his chest. "Ace?" he asked, as Ace doubled over and clutched at his side. Marco's hands fluttered over Ace's skin, squinting in the darkness. Frustration filled him, and he reached for the wall. "Let me get some light-"

Ace pulled away from him, dark eyes flashing. "It's fine," he said, teeth gritted, and tried to straighten, giving another hiss before he could push his shoulders back. He grabbed his hood, pulling it over his tussled hair, and Marco's expression morphed with worry.

"Ace, what are you doing?" Marco asked, grabbing onto his shoulder. "You're hurt!"

"Get off, Marco," he snapped, pulling his shoulder from Marco's grip, and Marco heard Ace heave a heavy breath of air. "Look," he said, eyes serious and glittering in the low light from the window, "you promised. No light - ever."

Marco shook his head slowly, his shoulders dropping. "So it doesn't matter to you that you've never seen me?"

"I've seen you," Ace said, his mouth pulled into a smile. "You're a prince, remember?"

"So how is it fair that I've never seen you?" Marco said, eyes narrowed, and watched Ace's smile vanish.

"You wouldn't want to." Ace mumbled. His lips moved almost soundlessly, his next words escaping Marco's hearing, before he sighed again. His fingertips grazed Marco's arm gently. "I can promise you, Marco, that if I didn't know you'd hate me-"

"I would never hate you," he interrupted, grabbing onto Ace's hand, and watched as Ace laughed deprecatingly. "I wouldn't."

Ace gently pulled his hand from Marco's grasp, laying a soft kiss against Marco's knuckles. "Sometimes I can believe you mean that." Ace whispered to his bent fingers, and Marco could feel every word pressed to his skin.

Words brimmed on Marco's tongue, but he couldn't figure out how to string them together, desperately trying to think of how to make Ace see how much he was adored.

"Marry me." He blurted, twisting his hand in Ace's so he could lace their fingers together. "Marry me, and I'll prove it to you, every day for the rest of our lives."


	22. Chapter 22: MarcoAce

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** None (tho the headcanons at the bottom are implied NSFW)  
 **Notes:** Part 2 of _Lygerastia_

* * *

Ace stared, mouth dropping open soundlessly, and he couldn't help his heart from skipping a beat. He brutally told his stupid heart off, trying to quash the feeling, but sparks of elation still spread through his body and no matter what he told himself, he couldn't stop the frantic thump of his heart beat.

He swallowed, mouth closing and shook his head. "Marco, no." He said, cursing his voice for shaking. "Don't ask me that."

"Why?" Marco asked, tightening his grip on Ace's hand so Ace couldn't escape the same way he'd arrived. "If I spend the rest of my life with you by my side, then I'll be happy. I will give you the world, and if I can prove to you that I lo-"

"Don't!" he yelled, finally able to pull his hand from Marco's and stumbling away. His ribs twinged in protest, but he ignored the sensation, scrambling for the window. "Don't _say it._ I told you, you'll hate me-"

"How do you know, yoi?" Marco challenged.

"Because everyone does!" Ace shouted back, hands clenched around the window frame as he paused. "And I can't stand you-" he stopped with a jolt, words stuck like a rock in his throat, before he finally managed to hoarsely whisper, "I can't stand you doing it too."

A knock on the door interrupted Marco's next words, and they both froze. "Sire?" a voice asked, and then the door handle began to twist. Horror rushed through Ace like a chill. He tried to scramble the rest of the way from the window, but his cloak got tangled in his legs, and Marco grabbed his wrist, pulling him to a stop.

"No, _no-_ " Ace said, struggling frantically against Marco's grip, but Marco was to stubborn too let go.

"Please, Ace," he begged, loosening his fingers, and Ace knew he could escape now if he wanted to, but Marco's gaze held him pinned. "At least meet my family."

Ace regarded him for a moment, the door swinging open completely. "You're going to hate me," he said, and the lights were flicked on.

His eyes smarted at the sudden brightness, and he squeezed them shut before blinking them open again. Marco looked as befuddled, squinting, but as he recovered Ace drunk in the sight of him, knowing this would likely be the last time he'd ever get to see Marco.

Marco's eyelashes were almost as pale as his skin, and his lips were pinker than Ace usually saw in public. There was the lightest dusting of freckles across Marco's nose, spotted intermittently instead of haphazardly like Ace's own.

A yell of alarm interrupted his musings, and Marco's attention was drawn from the recovery of his sight as he tried to placate his servant. Ace was presented with the sight of his broad back, gauzy fabric showing off the shift of his muscles.

The last time he'd ever see them, ever touch Marco-

Ace squeezed his eyes shut again, this time fighting back his tight throat, and pushed back his hood, letting the cloak fall to the floor. The servant's panicked, fast-paced mutterings increased, and he pointed a shaky hand behind Marco, stuttering frantically.

Marco turned, a frown on his face, and Ace watched as his expression filled with disbelief and shock.

"You're- you're the-" he started, and Ace lifted his chin in stubborn pride, lips pressed tight.

"Now you know what I meant, Marco." He said, every word rolling from his mouth, and he couldn't stop them, no matter how much he tried. He presented his wrists, marked with tattoos in brilliant red and gold, and the servant looked about to faint. "Suppose this makes me a prisoner of war now."

"He's Roger's child!" the servant wailed, clutching to Marco's shoulder, and Ace had to hold back a flinch, lifting his chin even further. He'd hidden his identity for so long, first helped by his mother and then later by the pressing knowledge that if anyone in Marco's kingdom found out who he was, he'd be killed or captured to give to the Government as a bargaining chip.

 _He's Roger's child_ was such a common phrase that Ace knew he should have been used to it, but fear still curled in his stomach and he could see his hands shake slightly.

He'd first snuck to Marco to ask for his help, pretending to be an assassin at first to explain why he was there, but as time wore on - and Ace realised just how much the people of the world detested his blood line - he'd given up. By that point, however, he and Marco were firm friends, and he couldn't convince himself to leave. No matter how stupid he'd been, no matter that Ace would soon be used as a tool to bargain for the freedom of Marco's people, Ace couldn't find it in himself to regret ever becoming friends with Marco.

He'd never regret falling in love with Marco.

Marco lay his hand across the servant's shaking arm, expression inscrutable. "No." he said, and Ace could feel a frown of confusion start to pull on his features, pulling at his hard-fought expression of neutrality and disdain. "This is Ace."

And when Marco offered him a smile, the same smile that he always used to offer, full of adoration and affection and warmth, Ace felt his calm demeanor shatter.

The servant dropped to the floor in a dead faint.

* * *

 **AN: Plus additional headcanons!**

 **They then go traipse through the palace and marco introduces ace to all his brothers. A** **ce is still in a state of shock and probably ends up crying because oh my _god_ this is not at all what he expected.**  
 **Whitebeard promises to protect Ace and while things are a _little_ awkward between him and Marco, because, well, dynamics change! All of Marco's brothers end up liking him?**

 **Izo sets him up with his own room and talks to Ace about it (implying that it is so Marco and Ace aren't sharing a bed) and Ace is like ?** **you realise ? we've already ? M** **arco buries his face in his hands and everyone else looks absolutely _debauched._**

 **Marco gets hit over the head a lot (ESPEC BY IZO) FOR NOT TELLING ANYONE**

 **AND OH! THERE'S A LOT OF TEASING BC HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US YOU HAD A BOOOOYYYFRIIIIEEENDDD MARCOOOO?**


	23. Chapter 23: MarcoAce

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace (Thatch  & Izo)  
 **TW:** Innuendos :P  
 **Notes:** "Marco/Ace for the five times thing, something to do with Marco's piercings from that one ask the pineapple head post"

* * *

5 conversations when Ace noticed Marco's piercings and had questions (and the one time Marco didn't answer).

* * *

1

* * *

The first piercing Ace ever saw was the one on Marco's ear. It glittered when Marco swooped down and landed next to him, and when Marco tilted his head to tut, Ace had to remind himself to pull his attention back to his sodden clothes.

He glared from the corner of his eye, wishing that the sea water was gone so he could shoot a fire ball at the damnable Whitebeard pirate.

It didn't work, sputtering weakly before dying, and his cheeks heated instead. He could only watch as Marco's lips quirked, a barely hidden smile on Marco's face.

"Give it up, brat." Marco said, his wings morphing back to hands, and he perched on the balcony like the sea wasn't lapping at the wood right behind him.

"Shut up," Ace snapped back, and Marco shrugged. His mouth, however, stayed closed, and Ace's shoulders hunched as he continued trying to dry himself off. He wasn't going to talk to that stupid pirate, even if his head buzzed with questions. No way.

* * *

2

* * *

Marco's second was through his belly button. Both were blue, Ace noted, and though easy enough to notice if you knew they were there (or spent stupid amounts of time watching Marco), if you didn't you could easily miss them.

At one point during his assassination attempts, Marco had stopped him from reaching Whitebeard and, in his rage, Ace had tried to rip out his piercing. His hand had grazed the metal and Marco's warm skin, the closest he'd ever gotten in his desperate attacks, but his flames died as soon as he touched it.

Marco kicked him over board, and Ace's questions were lost as salt water invaded his throat.

* * *

3.

* * *

"When'd you get your piercings?" Ace asked curiously, his tongue loose and his head floaty from the alcohol he'd had. He was probably slightly drunk, but oh well. He was allowed to celebrate his first successful mission as a Whitebeard pirate, and if his celebrations led to a conversation with Marco-

He was fine with that.

Marco shrugged, and Ace leaned in closer, squinting at Marco's earring. "A while back." Marco answered nonchalantly, his eyes flicking to Ace and then back to the plate in front of him. Ace grinned sheepishly, retracting his hand from Marco's meal when Marco ached his eyebrow at him.

"Tell 'im where your third is!" Thatch called out with a laugh, and Ace watched Marco's gaze narrow. Then his lips stretched into thin smirk, and he called back,

"Give him a clue!" Ace frowned, glancing between them, but Marco only smiled, slinging an arm around Ace's shoulder. "Got a guess, yoi?" he asked, and holy shit did Marco's eyes just flick down?

Ace stared at him, trying to figure out if Marco's downward gaze had meant anything, "Your-" he started tentatively, looking down, and Marco grinned even wider.

"Tongue?" Marco finished, poking out his tongue and displaying the glittering silver and Ace froze, feeling his cheeks flush hotly. "Why, what were you thinking?"

* * *

4.

* * *

"Hey Marco?" Ace asked, leaning against Marco's desk and doing his best to be thoroughly distracting but failing utterly when Marco didn't even look up (curse Marco's iron self-control). "Could I get piercings?"

Marco paused, before he rested his pen against the paper and turned his attention upwards. "Do you want 'em?" he asked, and Ace shrugged, distracted by the glitter of blue in Marco's ear.

"I'd steal yours, probably," he said, grinning, and Marco heaved a rueful sigh, pushing his pen against Ace's forehead and making him laugh as he slipped off the desk.

"Ace?" Marco called as he headed to the door, and Ace obligingly turned back. "Izo has clip-ons, if you'd like them. Plus you're a logia. You could probably just punch holes through whenever, yoi."

Ace hummed thoughtfully, before flashing Marco another grin. "Thanks Marco!"

* * *

5.

* * *

Izo had made him start off with clip ons, just to see if Ace even liked the look of silver at his ears, but when he confessed to only really wanting to steal Marco's, Izo had laughed and relented. It took a little while for Ace to get the hang of shifting like he did with bullets but then coming back to a solid form while keeping the earring, but he eventually managed it, and his success made him grin.

Though he knew Marco wouldn't have forgotten the question he'd asked a few weeks ago (Marco's memory was just ridiculous,) Ace still couldn't help but try and arrange his hair over the red earring Izo had given him, teasingly saying, "Red and blue look nice together."

Ace had stuck out his tongue before he went to go find Marco, and though it took a little while (and a yelp when he went on deck and his hair was flung everywhere,) he finally located Marco in the kitchen with Thatch.

He knocked on the kitchen door, and Marco inclined his head, giving him a grin.

"What do you think?" Ace asked as he stepped closer, and could see the words _about what?_ brimming on both Thatch and Marco's lips, before he moved shook his hair out of the way and showed off the earring Izo gave him.

Marco looked speechless for a moment, fixated on the gemstone, and Ace saw him swallow before he managed another grin. "We match. It's nice, yoi."

"Better keep an eye on your piercings," Ace said, smirking widely before adding, "I'll probably be…stealing a few soon."

"Bleh," Thatch complained, before Marco could reply, flinging his hands at the both of them, "Stop flirting in my kitchen! Your romantic cooties will infect my poor soup."

* * *

+1

* * *

Ace pulled Marco's pillow to his chest, resting his head on it as he waited for Marco to get ready. Then, on Marco's dresser he spotted a glittery blue, and grinned.

Dumping Marco's pillow back on his bed he hopped over to Marco's earring, already reaching up to his ear to take out the small stud Izo had given him. However, as his fingers grazed Marco's discarded earring, sharp pain erupted in his head and made him gasp. He clutched his ear with a swear, and dropped Marco's earring.

Izo's stud dropped into his hand, along with droplets of blood that filled in the lines on his palm, and he frowned, trying to figure out what had happened.

A cold suspicion filled his stomach, and he bent down, picking up Marco's earring again. Now that he was looking for it, he could feel the familiar drain of seastone, and frowned even further. "The hell…?" he mumbled to himself, standing and turning to Marco, who was watching him with cautious, purposely blank eyes. "Marco, why- why are you wearing sea stone?"

He watched Marco's chest fill with air, a huge steadying breath, but he stayed silent.

"Marco?" Ace asked again, "Why-?"

Marco cut him off with a raised hand. "Don't- don't ask me that, alright, Ace? I don't want to have to lie to you."

* * *

 **Personal headcanon & a minor explanation for number 5 and number 1. Ace can reform his body rlly rlly easy because _logia_ and so he can just attach piercings whenever he wants. The problem lies in making them _stay_ because his natural reaction is to shift them out. When I was writing this I was thinking about Marco's family and how they may have all had piercings or markings to show they were all part of the same family? **

**Only Marco is the only one left now, so Ace wearing a piercing was _sooo_ weird for him because he remembers his family doing it and it's still ingrained in him that whoever does that is his family. Also, Marco's family lived on an island that had _huge_ deposits of seastone and so their jewelry was mainly seastone. But Marco can't wear seastone/have it touch him anymore he still makes the gems/gets people to make the "gems" in his earrings seastone (bar his tongue piercing).**

 **ALSO THEY MAKE TINY WEAPONS**

 **(and remind him on the days he feels too old that he's still only human; he can die just as easily as the rest of them when he's bought down to their level. He's no god.)**


	24. Chapter 24: ZoroLuffy

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Zoro/Luffy  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** "Makino teaches Luffy to make flower crowns when he's little and Luffy makes one for Zoro (or something), can be ZoLu if you want? ;)"

* * *

Chapter Text

Luffy has something that's almost like a routine when they get in sight of an island. He straightens on the Sunny's head, hands tapping against his legs, and then he'll jump off or swing himself around the mast, gleefully shouting for his crew to come see.

When they finally dock, he'll barely contain his excitement, (sometimes, he can't even do that and will tear off before they're even anchored,) and when they've divided for the day Luffy will grab his partner by the arm and drag them through town.

So when he doesn't immediately bounce of the ship, tearing through the streets and finding no end of trouble, Zoro just knows something's wrong.

Everyone gives each other glances as Luffy stops bouncing on the balls of his feet, his weight sinking to the deck, and even as they draw straws they can see that Luffy doesn't want to be there.

When they ask him if he'd like to stay on the ship, however, he gives them a sharp glance, and they watch him start to grin at them, as though he'd realised his smile had vanished and needed to set things back to rights.

Zoro's ninety percent sure Nami rigged their straws, because she gives him a pointed look as Luffy fastens his hand around Zoro's wrist and starts tugging him down the gangplank, almost determined to keep up his usually infallible energy.

For an hour, they walk through town, Zoro managing to only draw Luffy away from two meat vendors before caving at the third, and when Luffy's stomach is filled with meat his hesitation returns.

Zoro follows where his gaze has caught, staring at a flower vendors. "Did you want one?" he asks Luffy, and Luffy jumps, like he'd forgotten Zoro was next to him.

"Nah, nah! S'okay." Luffy says, grinning and flapping his hands, and then he scurries off with an ooo, Zoro, look at this!

Zoro looks back at the flower stall, noting that most of the flowers seem to be wide-petaled red ones with droopy leaves that Robin would likely know the name of but he would just call 'pretty'. He doesn't understand what has Luffy so distracted, but it's a mystery he can't solve right now. Not if he doesn't want to lose Luffy in the crowd.

He keeps to Luffy's footsteps as they transverse the market, and when evening finally draws nearer and Luffy slows, grabs more of the meat from the vendors and goes to find some place to eat. Sanji's given them baskets of food, of course, but that has been steadily vanishing throughout the day and Luffy'll need more than what is left to sate him.

His legs move easily as he shepherds Luffy up a small grassy knoll, pulling out food to encourage Luffy to follow, and finally he drops to the grass with a pleased sigh, falling back and leaning on his hands to take a breather. He likes hanging out with Luffy, but going all day without a nap - ehh he doesn't like that so much.

When he doesn't hear the thump of Luffy sitting down next to him, however, he cracks open his eyes.

The expression is back.

The weird one that's not sad, but isn't happy either. The one that make his forehead furrow and his lips close, tighter than they usually are when he so readily spreads his lips into a grin.

"Luffy," he says, and Luffy's attention snaps back to him, grin coming automatically to his face before Zoro clambers to his feet and presses his thumbs to the corners of Luffy's mouth. "Oy," he says, and Luffy's smile stops in its tracks. He tilts his head in a silent question, but Luffy merely sighs, his shoulders slipping.

He sits down, and when Zoro sits next to him, leans his head on Zoro's shoulder.

As the sun sets, the red flowers Zoro has seen all over this island start to close, bundling up for the night.

"Makino- Makino taught me how to make crowns from flowers when I was a kid," Luffy admits to the darkness as they stare at the little pinpoints of candlelight in the town. "I'd get Sabo and Ace to make them for me and crown me and sometimes they''d do it but- but the better times was when we just-" his words keep stuttering, but they don't stop, flooding from him like they're part of a waterfall and now the dam stopping them has been destroyed they'll just keep coming, "Ace's favourite flowers were these big red ones. And so Sabo and I found them one time, and made him a crown, but Ace didn't want it to be given to him. So we stuck it with Dadan and said it was a present and then tried to steal it off her and she beat us up. That was the best time."

Zoro can see his teeth in the darkness, bared wide in a smile again, and though he can't see Luffy's expression he knows it's bittersweet. He can tell that Luffy wants to keep speaking though, so in the darkness he finds Luffy's hand and presses their palms together, feeling the cold tips of Luffy's fingers. Luffy twists his hand experimentally, before he settles it, mapping Zoro's callouses slowly.

"It's not fair, Zoro." He mumbles to the night. "I- why does it-? Why does it still hurt? After all this time, I just- It doesn't hurt all the time but then-! Then there are stupid things like these flowers and it hurts even more!"

His breath hitches slightly in frustration, fingers tightening on Zoro's hand, and Zoro squeezes back, feeling Luffy's head twist to Zoro's collarbone. "It's not fair," he whispers, sniffing, and Zoro sighs, knowing there's absolutely nothing he can do to make Luffy feel better. He's had years to come to terms with Kuina, and sometimes he'll see a book he thinks she would have adored, or spots a girl with a flash of dark hair, and his heart tightens in his chest.

He's not in the habit of lying, especially not to his captain, and so he can't tell Luffy that it will go away eventually, because it never does. Instead, he breathes in warmth, and wraps his free arm around Luffy's shoulder, resting his chin on Luffy's head. "I know, captain. I know."


	25. Chapter 25: Izo

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Izo  
 **TW:** Some Violence  
 **Notes:** Based off of askizo's headcanon about where Izo's tattoo is vuv

* * *

Izo had a certain amount of pride in his tattoo - it symbolised his family, his loyalty, his dreams.

It didn't, of course, excuse that fact that sometimes the dark colour clashed _horribly_ with his more pastel-themed outfits. It didn't matter _to_ much, obviously, considering how much he adored his tattoo, but sometimes dark colours just didn't cut it and he would arrange his yakuta to cover it.

Of course, it also meant that when he was alone and had it covered, he heard quite a few more people badmouthing Whitebeard.

And _that_ was something he wouldn't stand for. Though his tattoo was covered for the night, his loyalty still burnt as bright as Ace's fire, and he refused to sit and listen to someone try and ridicule pops.

He drained the last of his drink, snapping two coins down on the bar next to the empty glass, and then turned around. "I'd recommend you stop," he said icily, and the gossipers slowly fell into a slow silence.

"Who's orderin'?" one of them finally slurred, and Izo felt a thin smile pull up his lips.

"Friend of Whitebeard's," he said simply, sliding up his yakuta to expose a set of knives strapped just below his tattoo, and watched as the group started to snigger quietly.

"Oh what," mr dumb taunted, his tone reminiscent of one someone would use with a child. "You gonna slash us?"

His mocking tone made Izo's eyes narrow, and he hitched the hem higher, allowing stupid to catch a glimpse of his tattoo. "And the rest of my family'll help," he agreed. The blood fled from the stranger's face, leaving it a white pallor that made Izo grin, and the man swallowed, tripping over his own feet as he quickly got up and stumbled away.

His eyes racked the bar, but no-one seemed ready to challenge him anymore, and he felt pride swell in his chest. He turned back to the bar to hide his grin, determined to make sure none of the idiots behind him saw his amusement.

God, did he love his family.

* * *

 **AN: WHISPERSOBS OH GOSH BUT LIKE THIS HAPPENING LATER AFTER MARINEFORD...**  
 **#IZO HEARING PEOPLE BAD MOUTH WHITEBEARD AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY JUST LAUGH AT HIM**  
 **#HAHAHA /CLUTCHES CHEST AND SLOWLY LIES DOWN IN PAIN**


	26. Chapter 26: Marco & Ace

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** _Pour me Out_ by He is We. Also, whoops, I forgot to update again. /sweats

* * *

 _You got me holding on to a dream / that failed me long ago  
But I'm still waiting / I'm still holding on _

* * *

Marco's done a lot of things in his lifetime. He's had such a long lifetime, after all. Some of what he's done he regrets, some of what he's done he doesn't, but with all his choices he looks back and thinks _I chose right._

But when Ace's execution is announced, all he can think is that he never should have chosen to stay behind.

(and as the years pass he can never let go of the hope that he'll find Ace's reincarnation, and though it hurts that choice isn't one he'll ever be able to make himself change, or regret holding on to.)


	27. Chapter 27: Luffy

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Luffy  
 **TW:** Implication of suicidal thoughts?  
 **Notes:** _Sleepsong_ by Bastille

* * *

 _You go to sleep on your own / And you wake each day with your thoughts_  
 _And it scares you being alone / it's a last resort_

* * *

Luffy has this little _thing._

This little _thing_ about being alone. He just really-

Well, hate's not right, he knows that. But neither is 'doesn't like' strong enough.

It's something like this;

He is lonely and lost and longing for anything and god it hurts, god it hurts, he grins wide and watches and wonders _why?_ but there's no answer. He talks better with Makino because she smiles and sets the rules and makes sure he knows when to get under her feet and when it isn't good but somehow everyone else seems to know _with_ everyone but he doesn't get it and he's stuck inside this stupid _box_ of his own creation, of his own rubber skull, bouncing him around and back into his brain and he's not fine with being alone.

He wants to tell himself that he is.

He wants to say that he's strong enough to survive by himself.

But- Shanks was strong. And he always talked like losing his crew, losing his people, being _alone_ was something worse than death (and he knows it, Luffy knows it, _knows it, knows it, knows it,_ he'd rather be dead than alone, and the time far in the future when both collide? He's so close to letting his heart burn out, it'll just so much easier, he'll see Ace again-)

So his little _thing_ isn't a weakness, but-

But god does it hurt like one.


	28. Chapter 28: MarcoAce

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** Swearing  
 **Notes:** _Backseat Serenade_ by All Time Low. This is one of the weirdest writing styles I have ever written in.

* * *

 _You're something like a summer's day  
Kiss the pain away / to your radio_

* * *

It started out like this; start of summer, and thighs stuck to leather. Windows down, wind through hair, radio on loud enough to be heard over 100kmph. _  
_

It started out with laughter and weather someone just called _fuckin' hot, mate,_ and when Ace pulled him into the sea, flip flops and all, he falls in (follows him, as he'll always do).

It started in his light blue hatchback, hands languid as they rested against window frames, and when nothing but outback is nearby and they're bored, Ace's eyes stayed out the window, but his hand got caught up in Marco's own.

He doesn't pull away.

It started in the summer, height of it; weather was in the forties and Ace was almost always out of a shirt. Marco's considered shedding his propriety too, if only to escape the damned, sticky heat. They pulled up to the motel they're meant to be meeting Thatch at, and Marco clunked the gear stick into park.

"We've arrived at boiler room central," Ace muttered, twanging his letters in the lazy way he does when tired, but he still twisted his head and offered Marco a grin. "Comin'?"

It started in the front seats of the car.

Him, nodding.

Ace, leaning over, as though to tell a secret; Marco leaning close.

Hot seatbelt over his neck, warm skin by his face, breath on his lips; then he's breathless.

(It feels like falling into the sea during summer, 'cause the water isn't cold but god it feels good. God, it feels right.)


	29. Chapter 29: MarcoAce

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Marco/Ace  
 **TW:** None  
 **Notes:** "Marco/Ace and person a gets their head stuck in a fence and person b is the firefighter/good samaritan who helps them get unstuck."

* * *

"Are you- okay?" a hesitant voice asked from behind him, and Marco screwed his lips up, glaring at Fee and Foe, who merely twittered at him innocently.

"Oh yes," he groused, "I love having my birds taunt me for getting stuck in a fence."

He heard a muffled snort of laughter, and felt his head drop even more, sighing heavily. Fruitlessly, he tried again to pull his head out of the gap he'd gotten stuck in when he'd dived to try and catch Fee and return him to the bird cage, but he'd wedged himself to tightly.

"Do you- want a hand?" he heard the stranger ask from behind him, and though he considered another sarcastic reply (oh, give him leeway; he'd been here for three hours already, and Fum had been perched on his head for at least an hour and a half,) he tamped back the urge.

"That'd be appreciated, yoi," he said, and heard the quiet thump of bags on the pavement, before the stranger's sneakers came into view.

"Brace yourself," they warned, and then firm hands wrapped around his shoulder and chest. With a grunt, the stranger pulled backwards, and Marco tried to wriggle himself out of the stupid fence.

He popped free, and they both fell backwards, Marco managing to land on his heroic stranger. Groaning, he held his head, before letting out a thankful breath. "Thank you so much," he said, turning and offering a hand to the stranger to help him to his feet, "I thought I'd never get out of there."

The stranger grinned, his freckles shifting, and shook his head as he stood, further disheveling wavy black locks. "All good," he said, still flashing that ridiculously bright grin, and Marco felt his stomach do a few barrel rolls and a backflip.

 _Oh no,_ he thought, trying to figure out a comprehensible reply and failing utterly, _he's cute._

* * *

 **AN: Marco's birds are called Fee, Fie, Foe, and Fum. Fee is a little escape artist and an ass and Fum likes to sit on him. In my head they're like ? Budgies?**


	30. Chapter 30: SaboLaw

**Rating:** G  
 **Characters:** Sabo Law  
 **TW:** none  
 **Notes:** A FOB lyric prompt that can be shippy if you want it to. vuv

Happy New Year you guys! ;u;

* * *

 _I swear I'd burn the city down/just to show you the light_

* * *

There are no lights in Trafalgar's eyes.

A reflected gleam, only, the echo of dying embers in his blood as he tries to fight, and Sabo can only watch as his brother runs off with Law in tow, knowing that if there was any light in the world, Law certainly would never be able to see it.

Not when his only goal is to swallow fire whole - playing with a forest fire, the forces of nature that make up Luffy and Doflamingo. The ocean meeting the sky, when they never should've, and Law is their casualty.

Sabo wonders if he should be afraid, when fire flickers between his fingertips, because Law has already shown that he needs no lights, and Sabo is the living embodiment of one (but then again, he's the living embodiment of guilt, and maybe he's more like a mirror to Law than he is the lights in Law's eyes).

"I swear, I would-," he says quietly, looking out at Dressrosa from the sunflower field where they have hidden to heal.

"I don't doubt it." Law replies, but that is all he says, eyes the barest flicker of reflection, and Sabo lets his palm flicker to fire, highlights the shadows that still rest beneath Law's eyes.

"If you wanted me to-"

"This was never my city." Law says, and this time it's almost harsh, and his spine straightens, just barely, chin tilts to the sky, just barely. "And you may have burnt your own to ash but I stayed and watched." He closes his eyes, and the glimmer of gold is gone. "I will not watch another city burn."

Sabo lets his - Ace's - fire vanish, and darkness envelops them again, swallowing them whole.

There are no lights in Trafalgar's eyes.

Maybe there will be. Maybe Sabo will be there to see.

But, at the same time, Sabo can't help but think,

 _Maybe there doesn't need to be._


	31. Chapter 31: SaboMarco

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Sabo/Marco  
 **TW:** Some swears vuv  
 **Notes:** An internet AU that I've talked about with Sabolus and Lolles before! vuv

* * *

Marco's computer beeped, the familiar call of Skype drawing his attention away from his paperwork, and though torn with hesitance, knowing that he had to get his work done, he couldn't help but push his chair to his desk, bringing up Skype.

 _Sabo is online!_ it cheerfully announced, and Marco felt himself frown, checking Sabo's timezone. It wasn't even close to the time he was usually up - Sabo usually signed in around 3pm Marco's time, and Ace, while earlier than them both, had been dragged on a camping trip by his mother and wouldn't get back until later today.

[9:14:16 AM] Marco: **hey**

[9:14:18 AM] Marco: **what're you doing up?**

Sabo's cursor didn't load, and for a moment Marco dismissed it as Skype playing up again. It had often bought up his hopes, tricking him into thinking that Ace or Sabo were online, and he regarded the green tick with a hint of suspicion now.

[9:17:13 AM] Sabo: **Can we call?**

Without even answering, Marco clicked on Skype's phone button, scrounging for his headphones at the same time. It dialed quietly, ringing off as Marco slipped his headphones on, but then Sabo's blurry picture came to life on his screen.

"Hey," Sabo whispered, managing a weak smile, and Marco felt his brow knit in concern.

"You okay?" he asked, and watched Sabo's picture nod jaggedly, lag making his image pixelated. Sabo shifted in his chair, knees drawing from beneath his desk, and pursed his lips, looking like he was fighting words. Marco kept silent, watching as Sabo curled up and laced his hands around his leg, leaning closer.

"Can you-," he asked, eyes flicking from the keyboard to the camera, "can you tell me a story?" Marco frowned even more, confused by Sabo's request, and Sabo's face crumpled. "Shit, no-" he stammered, rubbing at his face roughly and setting his hands back on the keys. "I'm sorry, this was just stupid, god I'll just-"

"No, Sabo wait!" Marco called, grip tight on his desk. "What do you want a story about, yoi?" Sabo shrugged, biting his lip and resettling in his chair, all twisted up but this time still, and Marco tilted his head back, humming thoughtfully. "Well, this week we had a bunch of storms here," he finally started, "And the radio weather reporter said that there was no chance of a larger storm coming in, and that the wind wasn't strong enough to damage any property, right?"

He could feel a grin start on his lips, remembering what had happened, but Sabo's gaze was still dull and it died fast enough. "Well, anyway, there was some property damage. One car, to be exact. And guess who's car it was."

Sabo let out a quiet snort, lips twitching and Marco nodded. "Yeah. The news reporter's. Everyone thought it was fucking hilari-"

Sabo let out another quiet noise, but there was no smile on his face this time; his features crumpled like paper, even as he tried to force his lips into a grin, and Marco's mouth opened in a breathless exclamation of worry.

"I'm fine, I'm fine-" Sabo said, trying to cover his face, but his breath kept hitching and Marco could see his shoulders shaking.

"Fuck, Sabo- what's wrong? Please?"

Sabo shook his head wordlessly, and Marco bit his lip, wishing desperately that he could be where Sabo was and pull him into a hug. It wasn't fair that though they could talk they were separated by oceans - by a whole world.

"Sabo?" he tried again, softly, and Sabo flinched, trying to rub at his face and muster a smile. Marco could see tear tracks in the light of Sabo's desk lamp.

"Just-" he started hoarsely, sniffing, "just a really bad day, Marco. I'm sorry. It's nothing."

"It's not nothing if it made you upset," Marco said. "Please don't apologise. You know that I'd rather know if you were upset than if you tried to hide it from me."

Sabo's features softened, tired eyes crinkling at the edges as he smiled. "I'm fine, Marco. Promise. Mom was just being-" he paused, stuck for words, and ran a hand through his hair before sighing, "awful."

"Isn't she always?" Marco replied, and watched Sabo's smile widen.

"Oh yeah," he said, grinning ruefully. "How could I forget?"

Sabo's floppy hair hung in front of his eyes, and even though the quality was shit, Marco could still see the red flush to his cheeks. Sabo's sniffles didn't help anything, either, and once again Marco wished, desperately, that he lived closer.

That he could brush Sabo's hair from his face and force a tissue into his hand. That he could get into his car and drive to Sabo's house and protect him every time his parents tried to treat him like shit. That he lived closer, so he could throw rocks at Sabo's window and recite awful poetry until he saw Sabo smile.

Skype had long since stopped being 'enough', but to get to either Sabo or Ace he'd have to get on a plane and fly over the ocean, and no matter how hard he worked, that still seemed like a distant dream. That thought - that he'd never get to see them, be close to them - well, that sometimes was almost enough to make him regret ever befriending them.

The knowledge that even though they were so close, they were so, so far away.


	32. Chapter 32: MarcoAce

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Ace  & Marco, predominantly. Also, some mentions of Izo, Thatch, & Whitebeard  
 **TW:** Some violence  
 **Notes:** Based off of one of lolles' absolutel aus ;u; (seriously, u should ask her about this one. It's fantastic.) This is also the last req I have finished rn and I don't anticipate more soon because of the Big bang vuv

* * *

Like Real People Do _-_ **Hozier**

 _I will not ask you where you came from / I will not ask and neither should you  
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips / We should just kiss like real people do _

* * *

Everyone had always been curious about how Marco had been made. He means 'Made' in the very literal, magical, sense, because no other man in this world had a body of regenerating stone.

Then again, no other man in this world had been Made by the Gods, either.

Of course, that had always been his secret - and 'everyone' was, if Marco had anything to say about it, going to _stay_ curious. The only person who knew was Whitebeard, and to Whitebeard Marco owed his life and his freedoms.

When one was a being made of magic, it was only to be expected that their magic was going to be harnessed, and Marco was no exception. He'd spent thousands of years trapped, bound to serve whichever cutthroat master currently had him in their possession before Whitebeard had found him and decided to release him.

Uncertain about how to use his new found freedom, Marco had travelled with Whitebeard for many years, and by the time he realised that he'd become part of Whitebeard's family, it was already much to late. He'd become their caravan's 'big brother', and there really wasn't much he could do about it.

After centuries of isolation, fear, and hatred, Marco had found a family.

He still wasn't always certain about what to do with them, but with power at his fingertips and a heart literally built to love, Marco swore to protect every member of Oyaji's caravan.

And then Ace had come along.

He refused - much like Marco did - to ever tell them about where he'd come from, and traveled with them for what he argued was only going to be a short time.

Well, his 'short time' had stretched from one week to four, and then from four weeks to six months. By the time Ace realised he'd been adopted, it was already much to late for him, much like it had been for Marco.

He had reservations they never had been able to uncover, but Ace slowly fell for their caravan, and his paranoid demeanour relaxed bit by bit, letting the Whitebeard traders see past his defensive nature.

But Marco, knowing the pressure of consistent questions, never asked. He suspected, of course, because he knew the play of magic in someone's blood and the twist of a lie in someone's mouth, but Marco had long ago learnt to hold his tongue and let people hold onto their secrets.

It was easier on both of them, and whenever Ace tired of being pestered, he would seek out Marco and the slow lilt of their conversation by the fireplace could soon often be heard at night.

Marco had his own reservations about Ace, because any fool could see that Ace was running and hiding from someone - something - but as the months went past, his hesitation, his internal mantra of _I will do anything to protect my family_ slowly began to include Ace as 'family'.

The last shred of Ace's fear had finally fallen away when Whitebeard and Marco discovered that Ace - rather than being the weak fire mage they'd thought him to be - was actually a powerful blood mage.

That had been the day they were attacked by magic Hunters. No matter what spells he and Izo threw at them, they countered with ease, tearing through both the 1st and 16th caravan's defensive forces like butter. He'd felt his stone skin reform more times then it ever should have in such a short amount of time, and even though made of magic he was starting to tire, knowing that leech spells had been prepped in the valley they were cornered in.

With Thatch downed, arm broken, and Izo on the very last dregs of energy, Marco did the only thing he could think of. He found Ace, the very last person still standing on their battlefield, closed his eyes, and _threw_ his magic.

One of the very first things Marco had learnt about himself when he'd been placed on the planet was that with every part of himself filled with magic, he worked even better than a seeing glass for physics, a channeling stone for magicians, and magical artifacts for potion makers. Marco was a literal magical magnifying glass, and in dire situations like this-

Well, amping the magic of one of their weakest members would certainly come as a shock to the Hunters.

What came next was as shocking to Marco as it was to the Hunters. He could _feel_ Ace's power, something he'd never been able to do with weak mages. His own magic usually overpowered theirs, and it made sensing sneak attacks by weak mages so much harder.

But Ace?

Ace practically _sung_ with magic. His blood crawled with it, and Marco was barely allowed a second of frantic confusion _where does he get that from? why isn't his fire magic more powerful?_ before Ace snapped his hand out and everyone in front of him suddenly convulsed

Even the people from their own caravan _._

 _Oh Gods-_

 _What have I done?_

Marco had seen people lost in the throes of magic before, and Ace was no different. His eyes were glassy and his body moved on instinct, magic curling like a living thing, drawing Ace's life with it as he fought. Marco could _see_ Ace's power draining from him with every step he took forwards, and couldn't help the sick taste that filled his mouth.

He'd done this to Ace. He'd given Ace's magic a boost it had never needed, couldn't take his ability back now that Ace's magic had raged out of control, and now Ace was going to die-

 _No._

Marco moved forwards, panic lending strength to his exhausted body, and latched onto Ace's arm. Ace almost immediately reacted, blood slamming into Marco's arm, and he _felt_ it. Marco almost shuddered, knowing that for him to have felt it meant that either the blow was strong enough to almost shatter his stone skin, or Ace was powerful enough to almost crack him.

" _Ace,_ " he said, wrapping his hands around Ace's arms in an attempt to get him to stop moving, and Marco could hear the sounds of screams filling the air. "Are you alright? Please, you've got to stop, yoi. _Ace-_ "

He knew his words were running together, but there was little he could do but beg and pray.

And the answer came to him, almost like a whisper from Those that had Made him.

 _If you can give, why can you not take away?_

And so Marco closed his eyes, prayed, and tried to steal Ace's magic. it writhed from him, refusing to go now that it had found the light, almost excited to be finally used, and Marco found he couldn't siphon any of it away. He tried again, pushing for a change, but it shied away, running from Marco's body-

The spark of an idea came to him, and Marco enfolded Ace in his arms, using his mind to cast a net, binding Ace's magic to Ace's body and slowly drawing back the energy that sparked and curled away from him, trying to reach the light.

But Marco was everywhere, casting darkness, blotting out the bodies of any nearby, bar his own. And Marco had no blood; only stone skin and a magic heart.

He could feel the moment Ace snapped back into control, his body falling limp in Marco's arms, and quickly prevent Ace from hitting his head on Marco's collarbone. Ace'd likely have a killer headache in the morning anyway - Marco would rather not add to it but letting Ace crack his head open on Marco's body.

He could hear Ace give a soft, pained groan, and carefully picked up Ace, cradling his burning body close.

Thatch was the closest, and Izo had already started to use their advantage, recovering from his shock and flinging spells and poitions. His quick thinking let Marco take Ace to Thatch for medical care. Thatch'd likely be one of those treated first, with his broken arm and his extraordinary healing, and if Ace woke up Marco wanted a familiar, friendly face to be nearby.

It took barely a few seconds, and Marco by that point could feel his body burn with Ace's stolen magic, the power he'd magnified begging to be let out. With a deep breath, Marco stepped forwards and extended his palm, mimicking what Ace had done.

He'd never used blood magic before, but Marco was nothing if not a fast learner, and Ace's magic was impatient to be used. It practically jumped from his open palm, surging forwards to where Marco directed, and in less than a minute Marco could see their enemies begin to drop. Whether dead or not, he didn't care.

They should've known not to go after the Whitebeards.

By the time he'd turned around, Izo had started organizing those who could walk into a mobile medical unit, getting the worst injured immediate medical care, and turning several of their caravans into small hospitals so they could continue to travel and hopefully get some more medical assistance in the next town.

He could feel his legs shake, the last dregs of magic echoing in his chest, and knew that soon he'd need to rest. But 'soon' could be put off, for the moment.

Marco forced his feet onwards, taking one slow step after another until he finally managed to get to Izo, and then let himself be bossed around, working tirelessly in his efforts to help.

His family needed him.

* * *

After that incident, Marco had asked Ace about his magic and Ace had confessed everything, letting words spill from him like a river in his attempt to defend himself. He hadn't needed to, because if Marco knew anything from his years trapped like a djinn it was that magic was always dependent on the wielder, but Ace had panicked and Marco had been unable to stop him.

It had left a good portion of Whitebeard's caravan itching to hunt down whomever had hurt Ace and forced him to become a blood mage, but no-one had been able to let on to Ace their plans, just in case he took it the wrong way. Almost everyone had gone around assuring Ace that it was alright, until Ace was sick of it and had started hiding out in Marco's caravan. Marco had eventually told them all to stop, but his family still persisted in coddling Ace for another few weeks.

Ace threatened to set them all on fire if they didn't go back to normal.

Though he still rarely used his blood magic, he seemed more relaxed, and Marco was pleased to see that when he needed it, Ace let his magic flicker to life with no hesitation - whether it was fire magic, or blood magic.

And Marco found himself completely distracted.

Now that Ace had stopped blocking his magic, Marco could _sense_ him, like an itch at his senses. A constant, reassuring pressure, like Ace's life was a fire that'd just flickered to life next to his chest and refused to leave.

Marco had long since gotten used to not being able to feel things. Unless they were extraordinarily strong, most people couldn't break his skin, and unless their magic was powerful he could rarely feel someone's touch. Izo and Whitebeard were one of the few people who he could feel, and even then sometimes - if Marco had been working spells all day - it didn't work.

But with Ace-

Ace's magic was as much a part of _Ace_ as his freckles, his smile, his skin; now that Marco knew it was there, he could feel it.

And the first time Ace touched him-

Marco almost felt as though he had real skin. It prickled and tickled and raced up his arm in a way that made him shiver, and he couldn't help but stare at Ace.

Ace only glanced at him curiously, brow furrowing. "Marco? Are you-"

Marco shook his head briefly, snapping out of his sudden shock, and nodded. "Y- yes, sorry yoi. What were you saying?"

"I was just wondering what the travel plans for the second division were? I heard that they were going past Bartilia and I-" he paused, shifting, and Marco carefully laid a hand on Ace's shoulder, trying in vain to convince himself it wasn't to have that jolt of sensation race through him again.

"Yes, they are. Would you like to go with them?" Ace nodded excitedly, his lips stretching into a grin, and Marco couldn't help but mimic it, his stomach churning. "I'm sure that can be arranged." He said, and Ace's whole expression softened.

"Thanks Marco," Ace said, gratitude colouring his tone. "You're the best."

And then Ace rocked onto his toes and placed a kiss on Marco's cheek, and Marco's reply died in his mouth. He could _feel_ Ace's lips, warm on his cheek and sparking with magic, and it sent a surge of elation running through him like electricity.

Then, Ace had slipped from Marco's caravan, and Marco was left with his fingers hovering above his cheek, _feeling_ the ghost of Ace's lips on his skin.

They were _definitely_ going to have a few things to talk about when Ace came back from Baterilla…

And Marco was definitely going to have some plans in place to see if he might be able to get a proper kiss.

* * *

 **AN: Marco, by the way, is a golem. :P Hopefully it was explained clearly enough but like _wow_ are there a lot of in universe rules that I didn't even get to explain in this fic, pfft.**


	33. Chapter 33: Marco & Ace

**Rating:** T  
 **Characters:** Ace  & Marco  
 **TW:** some violence  
 **Notes:** Continuation/paired with the previous drabble. As an additional note, I'd also like to remind you guys that my commissions are open~! :3

* * *

Sweat beaded in his hair, dripping down his temples and into his eyes, and Ace panted, trying desperately to catch his breath. He could see Thatch's body in front of him, arm bent at an awkward angle even as he attempted to stand, and Marco wavered nearby, his blue stone body decorated in chips and cracks.

Part of his bicep had been completely torn off, scratched to pieces in an attack, but Ace could see it slowly regrowing. Exhaustion was clear on Marco's face however, and Ace staggered to his feet. Stone shifted beneath his shoes, echoing down the valley, and Marco cast a quick glance back at him.

Magic hunters had cornered their caravan on the way to Shells town, somehow knowing that both Marco, their resident possibly-made-by-a-god golem and Izo, one of their more exceptionally powerful potion makers, had been travelling to trade.

Though paranoia still sung a dreadful song in his head, Ace knew they couldn't have been after him. He was to careful with his magic, and had so far avoided any promotions in the Whitebeard caravan that would lead to to much attention.

He was powerful, certainly, but his power was majorly due to his physical enhancement spells, and the fact that his magic leaked over into his healing when he didn't use it. So far no-one had noticed and commented on his fast healing, but then again - they all thought that Ace's only magic was a fairly weak set of fire spells that, while effective if used right, most ten year old children could do.

He bought sparks to his hands with the snap of his fingers, tamping down the instinctive urge to lash out with his chosen magic rather than spells, and flung out a set of tiny fireflies that burst to explosive life when Ace snapped his fingers again.

Their enemy, however, was obviously prepared. In less than a minute, Ace's sparks had been destroyed, and a cutting breath of air smashed Ace in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards. He heard a cacophony of voices calling his name in worry, and tried to wheeze in a breath; however, the wind had done more than knock him back. He couldn't breathe, frantically inhaling and feeling air rush in and out without staying in his lungs.

Frantically, his fingers scrambled at his chest, and in one last surge of desperation he closed his eyes and dug his nails into his chest. The physical enhancement spells he used kicked in, and his nails punctured his skin, drawing blood to the surface, and as it touched his fingertips his magic sparked to life again, greedy and wild.

The low edge of disgust twisted in his chest, the long years of resentment and anger that he'd tried so hard to quell, but relief overcame it as he finally managed to get in a harsh gasp of fresh air. The black dots over his vision faded slowly as he gasped. He staggered to his feet again, hand pressed over his self-inflicted wound to hide the blood from his family as it healed, and tried again to summon his fire.

It took more effort than he wanted, blood magic still twisting between his palms and begging to be set free, and he struggled for a moment with his warring instincts - to lash out and protect his family, spread fear and destruction with an easy wave of his hand, but then have to live with the consequences after.

His eyes sought Marco, trying to find the one calming constant in their battlefield and knowing that even if he fell, Marco would still protect them all, but it took to long to focus. He only caught sight of Marco's hand, raised towards him.

Sudden power surged in his head, heady and wild, and his control faltered; his sparks died, and the blood collected at his chest refused to slow, dripping beneath his palm and over his fingers. It squirmed from his chest, defying gravity and curling around his hand like a bloody glove. His head, already light from his previous lack of oxygen, swam with a feeling akin to intoxication, and he pulled his hand from his chest. His blood fell to sizzle against the rocks, and with hard eyed determination, his body ruled by his magic, Ace flung his hand out, palm flicking up.

Their bodies pushed by an invisible force, the Magic hunters flew backwards, many releasing cries of agony. The more powerful magicians merely doubled over, choked screams escaping them. Ace took a step forwards, and bodies twisted before him, their very blood fighting to escape from beneath their skin. It was Ace's easiest spell, to summon blood from a body not his own, but it caused sheer agony to any he inflicted it on.

With such power running through him, it was easy enough to spread the spell over those before him, and his magic dampened the world, cutting off the cries and screams that echoed in the air.

Stone cold fingers wrapped around his wrist.

Ace jolted, his hand whipping out and blood automatically sharpening to a point, but it shattered against Marco's skin, and his palm only met more stone. He could see Marco's lips moving, calmly but quickly, the chips of sapphire he had as eyes clouded in worry, and Ace tried to figure out what he was saying - he really tried.

It was only a few words, over and over, worriedly-

 _Ace._  
Are you okay?  
Ace.  
Ace.  
Please. Are you okay?  
Ace.  
Ace.  
Ace!

The power that surged through him suddenly vanished, bone-deep tiredness invading his soul, and Ace slumped in Marco's hold with a groan. Sound dribbled back into his ears, indistinct words echoing, but his head pounded at every sound. He almost cracked his head on the crook of Marco's neck as his neck lolled, but thankfully Marco managed to catch him, cold palm pressed to Ace's heated forehead.

Marco's chest rumbled with more words, and then suddenly the ground was gone from beneath Ace's feet. He almost fought it, and would have if he hadn't felt Marco's chest pressed to his arm (and no-one else felt like Marco did; no-one else in the whole world).

Thatch's fingers were soon pressed to his wrist, and Ace slipped from Marco's hold. He would have complained at the sudden heat, had he not been consumed in a sudden roaring that filled his head.

Then, silence.

Ace took the blissful quiet as his chance to let his eyes slide closed, and leaned against Thatch's arm, body collapsing and mind falling into nothing.


	34. Chapter 34: SaboAce

**15 - Kiss in the Rain**

* * *

Ace had been watching Sabo's face slowly light up as the rain drew closer, painting the sky a deep violet. Lightning crept across the horizon, slowly growing larger and louder as it came closer to them, and Ace snuck another glance at Sabo, watching as his leg bounced uncontrollably.

The first few patters were quiet on the rooftop, and a cool breeze blew in through the open windows. Ace could immediately see Sabo relax, breathing in the smell of rain on the wind.

He could almost imagine the mental hiss of _yesssss_ that was going through Sabo's head, and as rain began to fall in thick sheets of water, Ace watched him inch off his chair, gravitating to the front door.

Finally, he seemed to be able to take it no longer and unlocked the door, struggling to be free of his coat.

Ace had to bite back a knowing smile. "Where are you going?" he asked, "It's raining!"

Sabo grinned back at him in complete elation.

"Exactly!"

In two long strides he'd stepped into the rain, and Ace saw in him tilt his face to the sky and breathe as though he'd been suffocating, lower lip shaking. Droplets sparkled in his hair and on his skin as the automatic lights came on, but the torrential downpour soon washed away any individual mark, instead leaving his skin shining gold.

Ace couldn't help but wonder if he was the one that needed a deeper breath of air, with how tight his chest felt.

He followed after Sabo's slow steps, watching him speed up, faster and faster until suddenly he was running headlong, bare feet splashing into the puddles and kicking up the water, and Ace could hear his laughter float down the street, borne just like the rain on the wind.

Ace stood in the middle of the road, grinning at Sabo's back, and watched as he slowed down and finally came to a stop, palms towards the sky and arms open as though to embrace the clouds. Ace could see his chest heaving, shoulders jumping with each hard-won breath, and then Sabo turned around and ran back.

Miniature rivers ran along the side of the road, falling down the drains, and his feet kicked up a spray of silver. Ace jogged forwards, finding himself with an arm full of wet clothing and a shivering body a few seconds later.

Sabo's grin stretched from ear to ear, blue eyes dancing in happiness, and Ace laughed at the sight, slinging his arm around Sabo's shoulder and leaning in close as they made their way up the rest of the street, walking in the drains.

And, in a moment of impulsiveness, he pressed a kiss to water-drenched locks.

Before Sabo could notice, Ace rubbed the rest of his face into Sabo's hair, making him laugh and swat at Ace's stomach. It made Sabo chide him loudly, voice echoing with happiness, and Ace turned to the sky, pretending to be miffed even as his heart hammered and his face burned.

His whole chest felt like it was going to burst as Sabo wrapped his arm around Ace's waist and they meandered back home, rain coating their eyelashes and making the world blurry.

Even if he'd stolen a kiss just then, this memory was one he was most certainly going to save, cold water and a warm body pushing the imprint of it into his head.

(and besides, how was he to know that Sabo, when he tucked his head into Ace's chest, had stolen one too?)

* * *

 **AN: Please R &R~ **

**In other news, commissions are still open and I've started design a blog on tumblr called sunshinepunks where I'm going to be posting House of Cards and other M/A/S related stuff \;u;/**

 **I'm still coding for it right now, but feel free to check it out~ ^w^**


	35. Chapter 35: Luffy & Ace

**Body/Mind Swap AU (Luffy & Ace)**

* * *

Sometime, a long time ago, Luffy and Ace and Sabo had run into an old woman with knobbly fingers and arms that looked as wizened as the stick she used as a cane. One eye was sown shut, and she never said much, but she had lots of shiny things that Luffy had wanted, and when there were spare bits of crocodile to be had, Ace could get a good deal out of what she had to give away.

She disappeared before the Celestial Dragon arrived, her singular blue eye widening in fear long before the announcements ever came that a World Noble was visiting, but before she left she offered to always let them know where the others were. She knew about their dreams to sail, and that they wanted to go their own way, plus Luffy got lost easy and sometimes it was hard to find him, so Ace and Sabo had figured it was a good idea.

She'd told them that if they ever wanted to figure out where the others were, they only needed to open one eye.

Of course, none of them knew what she meant, because – in Ace's words – how the hell were they meant to open _one_ eye when both eyes were already open?

And then Luffy had almost stabbed himself accidentally one day and he'd screwed his left eye shut to prevent it from watering, and he'd realised that instead of looking through his own eye, he could see himself through _Ace's_ eyes. Both he and Ace had let loose loud yells of fear at the same time, and Luffy ended up falling over and hitting his head, and in the confusion they almost forgot.

Sabo asked what'd freaked them out so much and Luffy and Ace told him what happened. He was the one who'd pieced it together, squinting at Luffy and switching which of his eyes was open at a time, but they'd eventually realised that they could see through each other's eyes.

Or, rather, eye.

It took a little while to get used to, and Ace found that he had to completely drop winks from the soundless language they'd developed for Luffy, but after a while it became second nature to switch vision and figure out where anyone else was. It was annoying if someone was fighting, but thankfully that only seemed to happen rarely.

Then Sabo's father showed up. Everything moved so fast, and Ace refused to use Sabo's eye (his was left, always left, just like he'd _left them-_ ) and then suddenly Luffy was gasping out a _no!_ of horror and Ace realised that Luffy's right eye was screwed shut.

Then Dogra was running into the house, shouting about Sabo's ship being blown to pieces, and Ace felt his heart stop, and he screwed his right eye shut with a prayer and a heart twisted into knots but-

There was nothing.

When they were kids, Ace never pushed when Luffy would latch onto his hand, and Luffy never questioned it when Ace pulled him close and pressed a hard kiss to his forehead, like he needed to assure himself that Luffy was still warm, instead of a water-bloated body.

Sometimes, he still forgets that there's nothing.

Twenty years on, and still sometimes he tries to check, pulls his right eyelid down with gentle fingers and tries to see through his left (Sabo's left), but there's always only ever darkness. He knows that Luffy does it too; or, he used to, but if Ace knows anything it's his brother, so he figures Luffy still squints at the sky and tries to see what Sabo sees.

There's only ever darkness.

(A million miles away and two years on, their brother remembers and regrets every time he let the sight of the sea or the forest leave him, regrets never chasing after the memories, regrets never questioning the sights that, if he'd followed, would've led him to the two people he used to call _home_.)

* * *

 **AN: turned into more luffy & ace & sabo than it did Luffy and Ace but AHHH I JUST REALLY WANT TO GET ALL MY REALLY OLD REQS DONE.**

 **Commissions are still open if anyone would like one! And also it's my birthday on Saturday so I'm planning on having my inbox open and reblogging a bunch of ask memes so please feel free to jump by my tumblr if you want something ;u;**


	36. Chapter 36: MarcoAceSabo

"Isn't this great? It's just like when we were younger!" Sabo's face lit up as he surveyed the pool, faint blue highlighting his features and making his eyes shine. Ace smiled at the sight, taking a step closer and sliding his arm around Sabo's waist.

"Yeah, but when we were younger, I couldn't do-" Ace's grin turned wicked, and then he grabbed Sabo's shoulders and shoved him to the side, straight into the pool, " _this_!"

Sabo yelped, slipping to the side, however he managed to grab onto Ace's arm and with a loud cry and a splash, both of them ended up tumbling straight into the pool. Sabo came up spluttering, and Ace couldn't help but laugh; until Sabo splashed him in the face and he ended up spitting out water.

"Asshat," Sabo grumbled, flicking his hair from his face, and Ace grinned, paddling closer.

"You love me."

"That's arguable."

Ace pouted, and Sabo sighed, swimming to the side of the pool so that he didn't have to keep treading water. Ace ducked beneath the surface, moving in long smooth strokes to the centre of the pool and then floating to the top, taking in a large gulp of air.

" _Oy,_ " he heard a familiar voice call in irritation as he broke the surface and cleared his ears of water, and he gave a sheepish grin in Marco's direction. Marco was watching them, face drawn into a pinched frown. "You know you're not meant to be swimming here at this time of night."

"In my defence Ace pulled me into the pool," Sabo said, heaving himself out in a great sluice of water, and Marco shook his head.

"C'mon you idiots," he said, and Ace swum over to the side, leaning against the edge of the pool.

"It's nicer in here than it is out there."

"Well it was perfectly decent until you decided to drag me in for a midnight swim," Sabo shot back, hugging his shoulders, but Ace could see his grin; and Marco was already moving and placing his jacket around Sabo's shoulders so Ace didn't see why he was complaining anyway.

"If you give me your shirt to comfort myself against the bitter cold I may find myself persuaded." Ace said, eyebrows raised at Marco, but Marco rolled his eyes and Ace couldn't help but pout.

"How about you get out, I don't tell Coach you were in here, and I'll give you a blanket and a spare shirt when we get home."

"Ehh, good enough."

* * *

 **AN: they're idiots and I love them please help me / _cries_**

 **Commissions are open!**

 **I was also asked on tumblr a little while ago if wip stories or complete-but-could-have a continuation stories were also ok to commission and pretty much go for broke guys! The only thing I wont write is NSFW, so seriously, there's a lot of free rein.**


	37. Chapter 37: ZoLu

**Duende - The unusual power to attract or charm**

* * *

There's an easy way to separate Zoro's life - before Luffy, and after Luffy.

He isn't sure when Before became After, though.

He'd like to say he isn't sure when he realised Luffy had turned from the person who'd be a stepping stone to his dream to the catalyst, to the wind in his sails and the ship beneath his feet that guides them all forwards, but that's a lie, and he knows it, he knows exactly when he realised that everything had changed.

See, they started out with a promise, he started out with a vow on his lips; _don't get in my way, kaizoku._

He sticks by it, holds it close to his chest like there's steel tying it to his heart, he will _cut Luffy down_ if Luffy gets in the way of his dream.

Then he loses, and somehow the promise starts to change, even though he doesn't realise. He doesn't figure out that _I will not lose!_ has the word _you_ on the end until long after the fact, he's still trying to tell himself he doesn't _care_ about Luffy, not really, he's used to being left behind, or being shoved to the front lines, and those things he can deal with but he won't give up his dream, not for any man, no matter how much they seem more like a star, more like part of the universe, than a man-

He always tells himself he won't give up his dream. That he'll cut Luffy down if Luffy gets in his way, only-

Only then Thriller Bark happens. Only then, before he's even realized what he's doing, before he's even thought about what he could do to protect Luffy he's on his knees and he's screaming at the heavens _TAKE ME INSTEAD!_

And he can't delude himself into thinking he doesn't care anymore.

* * *

 **AN: Commissions are open! And like I said before I'll have my requests open this Saturday for my birthday. :3**


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